Nominated by Karen Durm

By now, everyone in the Lyme community has probably heard of “The Lyme Disease Challenge.” It has become the fastest growing, attention grabbing campaign done yet for Lyme Disease Awareness. With a fun positive spin on it, it has captured the attention of the public, media and celebrities.

But do you know who’s behind it? Did you know that it was started by 5 women who also have Lyme? Many who also have children with Lyme?

The goals of these women and this project are to help the Lyme community get testing that is accurate, treatment that is accessible, research that is funded, and doctors that recognize Lyme Disease as the epidemic health crisis it truly is. Like so many other members of the Lyme community, you will see a common thread in their backgrounds – delays in diagnosis leading to needless suffering as well as a deep desire to help others.

Meet These Incredible Women

After developing a sudden flu-like illness and mysterious chronic symptoms, Julie Anderson was diagnosed with Lyme, along with her husband and both children. As a registered nurse, and caretaker at heart, Julie feels strongly about being a listening voice and true advocate for people suffering with Lyme. She believes no one should have to walk this journey alone, misunderstood, misdiagnosed, ignored, or ridiculed as having a “made up” disease. [Read full bio…]

Melissa Bell is a wife, mother of three and an attorney at law with a background in finance. Melissa’s family has been impacted profoundly by Lyme Disease. What fuels Melissa’s passion for advocacy are the children who silently suffer from the debilitating symptoms of Lyme, without answers or hope. In an effort to raise awareness throughout Florida, Melissa founded Florida Lyme Disease Association (FLDA) in 2013. [Read full bio…]

Ozlem Jones has been an information technology contractor for eleven years and runs her own IT firm. After nine years of unexplained symptoms, Ozlem finally was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. Shortly after, her children received the same diagnosis and her family entered the world of chronic illness. The challenges she faced changed her perspective on life and she now uses that new perspective to mentor fellow Lyme sufferers through their struggles. [Read full bio…]

It took twenty years of misdiagnosis for Kim Rowe to learn about Lyme. For this reason, she is passionate about Lyme advocacy and her heart’s desire is to connect people with answers that put them on a more efficient and supportive path than she walked. Using her skills as a speech-language pathologist to simplify ideas and her experience as a blogger with the visual aspects of an online world, she set the goal of communicating hope and affecting change through this campaign. [Read full bio…]

Lisa Wolk-Kilion is a mom, wife and educator. Although her background is business, she has served as a teacher and writer for many years. Lisa first learned that her son had Lyme shortly after he was diagnosed with Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). Subsequently, Lisa and her daughter were tested for Lyme and both received positive results. After PANS and Lyme impacted most of her family, Lisa became an advocate. [Read full bio…]

The Rest of The Team

Because we are a group of volunteers we called in favors from several friends who came through to support the cause with all of their talent and enthusiasm.

Andrea Folsom of Crafting Connections, Site customization, content and design

Jennifer Cooper of Classic Play, Logo and illustrations

Kat Westcott of Kat Westcott Design, Graphic design and image editing

Sarah Buck of Sarah Buck Photography, Photography and editorial assistance

Jennifer Allton, Planning group administration

Jenny Menzel of Art.thentic, Ongoing graphic design

Rebecca Guglielmo, Administrative support

Additional Photography by:

Offir Kilion of New York Photocraft

Erica Blaine of Erica Blaine Photography

Dana Raven of Minibird Photography